Return from the Abyss
by Shadowfire-X
Summary: Shadowfire manages to find time to start a family, no adult content. No plot whatsoever, but vital information, so I can't leave it out.. x.x please don't kill me


Return from the Abyss  
Emily Burke  
  
"We are never so helplessly unhappy as when we lose love."  
  
--Sigmund Freud--  
  
It was morning. The morning of April 25, 2138. My third birthday. I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep during the night. I had been thinking of... her...  
Luna. The most beautiful Reploid I'd ever met. Her copper hair always blew in the wind like some silk curtain. Eyes of deep sapphire blue sparkled like treasures. I had promised to go on a walk with her.  
  
I walked slowly on the narrow, winding path through the beautiful forest. It was a lovely day, but everything paled in comparison with the Reploid next to me, smiling happily. My thoughts went to the ring in my pocket. I'd been putting it off for too long.  
"Luna?" I asked quietly.  
She turned to look at me, smiling. "Yes?"  
There was a high-pitched blast. I instinctively ducked down. A plasma shot rocketed over my head, and struck Luna squarely in the chest, burning clear through.  
"LUNA!" I caught her in my arms before she hit the ground. Weakly, she looked at me and smiled. Then, the expression faded from her eyes. A sob caught painfully in my throat. Hot, stinging tears welled up in my eyes. Slowly, I turned to see the assailant. A tall, lithe, green-armored Maverick holding a pulse rifle.  
He frowned. "You just had to duck." The rifle was pointed at my face. There was a flash, and everything went black.  
  
***  
  
I opened my eyes to discover that I was in the Draconic Realm. I knew this because three elves stood over me. One of them was a large, muscled man, looming over me. There was a small boy hiding behind the man. The third was a woman who looked about twenty. Her shiny, straight black hair fell down to her waist. Misty gray eyes shined in the light coming from a nearby window. She held a wooden staff, pressed against my throat. She didn't look happy.  
"What have you come here for, dragon?" she demanded, adding the last word with a tinge of hatred in her voice.  
I choked slightly from the pressure of the staff, and said nothing. I made no attempt to struggle. What did I have to live for?  
"Answer me, dragon!" the elf woman commanded once again.  
"Just kill me," I muttered solemnly.  
Her expression softened ever-so-slightly. "There is sadness in your eyes. What could make a dragon sad?"  
I couldn't hold it any longer. Laying my head back, I let the tears flow down the sides of my face in hot little rivulets. Choking sobs came from my throat.  
The elf woman looked surprised, and slowly put the staff away.  
"Serena!" the muscled man yelled. "He's a dragon! Kill him, before he burns the village to the ground!"  
Serena looked at me again. "I can't do that, John. He may be the one."  
John scoffed. "That old legend again? The Dragon Lord of Light is just a fantasy. There hasn't even been proof of one for centuries. There's no way that the creature lying on the floor is going to unite the realm. It's all a myth!"  
"Maybe to you!" Serena yelled. "This person has done nothing to us. He's tired, and lost. He will stay here for the night."  
  
***  
  
Morning. I did not awake in the Elven house, but in my own bed... in my own home. Serena was next to me, just awakening herself. She looked startled.  
"Where have you taken me, dragon!?" she demanded, she stopped suddenly, and started looking around. "Who is this girl?" she asked, indicating a picture on the nightstand. It was a photograph of Luna and I, standing in front of a lake.  
Tears started to well in my eyes. "That's Luna."  
"Why would you weep at the mention of her?" Serena questioned. I finally picked up on her slight English accent as she asked this.  
Slowly, I lifted my head to look at the elf. "I weep because she is gone."  
Serena's face gained a more somber look. "Oh... I'm sorry." She looked around a bit more, and her eyes fell on the cross carved over the bedroom doorway. "A crucifix? I thought dragons just believed that they were gods..."  
Slowly, I stood up, letting the silk sheets slip away from my armor, like water sliding between spread fingers. My tone was dreary as I said, "if you are hungry, I'll fix you something."  
  
I could feel the elf's eyes on my back as I turned the three eggs over in the pan with little enthusiasm in my movements. She was probably still confused on what I had told her about my world. Reploids, Mavericks, advanced technology.  
"You have a beautiful home," Serena said quietly.  
"Thank you," I said in a monotonous tone. "It gets lonely sometimes, with my brother away."  
"You said he was on a mission," Serena began, "where is it a mission to?"  
"Iraq."  
"Oh... I know some other elves who live in this realm. They've told me that Iraq is a dangerous place to be."  
I raised an eyebrow slightly. "There are elves here?"  
"Only a few," she started. "I've heard a bit about Reploids, and the Maverick Wars from the elves who live here. They come back to the other realm to visit their relatives. The stories of their travels here spread rapidly back at home. I've never heard of a Reploid that was a dragon as well, though."  
I sighed slightly. "I had no idea of what I really was until two years ago. This dragon, Erebos, tells me I'm a Dragon Lord."  
Serena looked shocked. "A Dragon Lord?" she questioned. "I knew you had dragon blood in you, but a Dragon Lord... I had never imagined. Does that mean that you can assume a draconic form?"  
I nodded slowly.  
"Can you show me?" Serena asked.  
I had nothing to lose. Closing my eyes for a moment, I concentrated. Patches of silver scales appeared on my face, making an itching sensation. My armor shifted, and melted into more scales. Serena watched as my body became armored with silver. There was a quiet groaning sound as my jaws stretched to form a draconic snout, and more itching as my teeth became longer, and pointed. My ears each split into five long, silver spines, with black membranes in between, almost like fins, or frills. My hair formed a mane down the back of my neck. There was a loud, wet crack as my bones and joints reshaped to form a dinosaur-like skeleton. Claws slid from the tips of my fingers and toes. Muscles bulged slightly, some of them rearranging. My height suddenly jumped from six four to ten feet. Then, it was over.  
Serena was looking at me with astonishment, and a bit of fear. "Doesn't that hurt?" she asked quietly.  
"No," I replied flatly. "No, it doesn't hurt. It just feels very strange."  
There was a bright flash, the opening of a warp-shift into the other realm.  
  
***  
  
When the light died down, I was back in Reploid form, sitting in the throne room of my 'palace'. Attendants immediately rushed over to me, and a pair of armored guards grabbed Serena by the arms. The elf immediately protested.  
"Let her go," I demanded.  
"But sir," one of the guards began.  
A man-sized dragon entered the room, wearing white robes, and holding a staff. His grayed scales bore battle scars. Silver-white hair spilled from the top of his head, down to his mid-back, between his somewhat tattered wings. A golden patch covered his blind left eye, wounded in a fight. His right eye, however, shimmered a crystalline blue, deep, like a lake. I knew his age to be well over ten thousand. He was the eldest of my seven advisors, Balthazar.  
"How dare you," he began in a deep, scolding tone, "disobey your master. He who has been so kind and forgiving to all of you. He who has done so much for this city, even in his infancy."  
The guard snarled at Balthazar. "Elves are stupid creatures! They are weak, and rely on the dwarves for much of their skill!"  
"Was it not the elves," Balthazar started, "agile, and fleet of foot, who created the bow and arrow? A craft that we did not perfect until several decades later? It was the elves who learned to use spells herbs for healing, while we used them for destruction. We have no right to look down upon them."  
The two guards looked rather angry. "You can't tell us what to do, aged one!"  
"But I can!" I roared, with a force that surprised even me. "Let her go at once! Elves are to be treated as equals in my city, and it's surrounding territory. Anyone who does otherwise will answer to me."  
Serena looked rather perplexed as the two guards released her, bowed, and left. She looked at Balthazar, then at me.  
"Thank you," she said.  
Balthazar only nodded. He looked at me, and then left.  
The elf ran up to me suddenly, and threw her arms around me. "I was so scared, I thought they were going to kill me," she said in a shaky voice.  
Not knowing what else to do, I hugged her back, trying to be comforting. Something happened, then. Standing there, holding this elf, I felt warm inside. Less empty. The hole that Luna's death had left behind suddenly didn't feel so abysmal. Then, I remembered the other elves.  
"John would not be happy if he knew I were near you," I whispered.  
Serena pressed the side of her head against my shoulder. "John can keep food on the table," she began. "But he is arrogant, and ruthless. I can see through his handsome guise, and only pretend to desire him out of fear. I have been too weak to face him. My kid brother, Nero, whom you saw back in the village, is petrified of John. I am concerned for his safety." She looked up at me. "But, I am not afraid when I am by you. Instead, I feel more secure. I know it is selfish of me to ask, but you are the only person I trust. Will you help me protect my brother?"  
Slowly, I ran my fingers through her hair. It was silky, soft. "Yes," I said quietly. "I'd be glad to help you protect him."  
  
***  
  
The carriage ride to the Elven village was rather quick. An attendant opened the door, and I allowed Serena to step out first, before getting out myself. Several elves had already gathered around, including John, who was holding a bow with an arrow readied.  
"Step away from him, Serena!" John demanded. "I'll put an arrow straight through his black heart!"  
Serena crossed her arms and gave an irritated sigh. "John, put your weapon away. He was only bringing me back home."  
My guards already had their weapons drawn, just in case. John put his bow away, and stormed off.  
  
Serena led me to a large field near the village. "I have a surprise for you," she began, "a sort of family treasure, given to us by the gryphons." She whistled, a high sound that carried on the air. Soon, I could see a shape moving toward us in the distance. As it got closer, I could see that it was some kind of horse. A muscled, yet lean, solid black steed, mane and tail flowing as its agile legs powered it gracefully forward. Large, gorgeous black wings, covered in feathers, were spread out to the sides. The animal came to a stop when it reached us, looking around with electric blue eyes.  
Serena patted its mane. "This is Raziel, a Pegasus, the Stormrider," she stated. "He runs swift as the wind, and holds power over the shift of storms around him."  
Raziel sniffed at me for a moment, and pressed his head against my shoulder, demanding attention. I couldn't help but give a slight laugh as I rubbed the animal's forehead, much to his delight.  
Serena smiled. "He likes you rather well. You two will be a good match. He knows how to hide well, until you need him. Then, just whistle."  
  
***  
  
It was evening in the elf meadow, and the sky had already become a brilliant crimson. Two moons hung in the sky. One, a dull gray, the other, much closer, a rusty, Mars-red.  
Serena sat next to me, her head leaned against my shoulder. "It's pretty out tonight," she said in a wistful tone. "You know, at first, I thought you were just another dragon. Now... I don't think I could bare to part with you."  
I sighed quietly, feeling the same way. "When Luna died," I began, "I had been just about to ask her a very important question..." I pulled the small, velvet-covered box out of my pocket, and opened it. A diamond rested on a mithril silver ring, crafted into the shape of two folding angel wings. It had taken me over a month to produce. "Would you do me the honor, Serena, of-"  
I hadn't even finished the question when she had wrapped her arms around me, slipping the ring around her slender finger, a perfect fit.  
The sound of a twig snapping caused me to stand up. Looking around, I saw nothing out of place. Then there was the sound of something whistling through the air, followed by a sharp pain in my chest. Looking down slowly, I saw an arrow shaft, sticking out from between my ribs. Things grew hazy for a moment, then, I was laying on the ground, looking up. John stood over me, tossing his bow to the side. He grabbed the shaft of the arrow that was imbedded in my body, and twisted it. Unimaginable pain burned through me. Then, the arrow was yanked out.  
John smirked. "You've got a lot of gall, trying to steal my woman. You're gonna pay for it, filthy beast." The pain in my chest changed suddenly, from a sharp ache, to a horrible burning sensation. I gritted my teeth, and groaned quietly. "By now, you should be able to tell that I dipped the arrowhead in hemlock." Oh, great. Thus, the burning. Just an arrow, I may have survived. Now, however, it was over.  
Staring upward, my vision grew hazy. John shouted, and fell off of me, an arrow sticking out of his back. Serena held John's bow, the bow with which he was slain.  
Serena dropped the bow, and knelt over me. I could vaguely feel something hot, and wet dripping on my face. She was crying.  
I smiled weakly, trying to be of some reassurance. "Don't cry," I barely whispered. Everything suddenly became distant, like I was looking through a tunnel at something that wasn't real, something that wasn't really happening to me.  
Everything faded, and, for an instant, all was black, cold, and lonely. Fear spread through me, filling me like the poison that had finished me. Then, the blackness was pierced by a warm, golden ray of light. It moved, searching, searching for me.  
"Over here!" I called out in the darkness. The beam moved, and fixed on me. The cold and pain disappeared, replaced by warmth and comfort.  
A gentle voice spoke, from all directions, almost a whisper, and yet I could hear it as clear and sharp as a bell.  
"It is not your time yet," it said to me. "There is still much for you to do, for you to experience."  
The light faded, and I opened my eyes. Gate stood over me, a scalpel in his hand. He gasped suddenly, and dropped the knife. Looking at myself, I found that I had only a sheet over my waist and legs. Looking around, I could see freezers, tables with drains, and surgical equipment. I was in the morgue. Fear washed through me. Gate looked equally surprised.  
"But..." he stammered. "You're dead! There hasn't even been an attempt at revival yet! You're just a corpse!"  
I looked down to see a hole in my chest. When I saw it, the pain returned.  
Gate soaked a wad of gauze in a bottle of something, then shoved it into the wound. The liquid was cold, and yet it made the wound feel like it was on fire.  
"Ow!" I yelled loudly. "What the hell is that supposed to be!?"  
Gate heaved an irritated sigh, as if I had asked a question with a rather obvious answer. "It's disinfectant. It will also flush out the hemlock you were apparently poisoned with. Now, hold still while I put these wires back into place."  
He pulled the gauze out, and tossed it into an incinerator. I jerked as he grabbed the two ends of a snapped wire inside of me, and clenched my teeth together as he twisted them back together. This process was repeated several times before he finally wrapped some bandaging around my torso to cover the wound.  
"Now," Gate started, "there is a black-haired, gray-eyed woman waiting outside that I assume you know. Should I let her in?" Serena...  
"Yeah," I barely whispered. Gate left the room momentarily, and soon returned with the elf, who had her ears cleverly hidden under her long, thick hair.  
Her eyes widened, and she quickly closed the distance between us. Her hand gently touched my back. "Somehow," she said in a faint whisper, "I knew you would come back. I sensed a power in you, like you were in touch with something, or someone, of higher power..."  
I nodded solemnly, and shuddered as she ran her fingers down my back. Her arm crept around my waist, and she sat on the table next to me. "You didn't think you'd get out of marrying me that easy, did you?" she chuckled.  
  
***  
  
I sat out in the waiting room, staring at the clock. One hour. Had something gone wrong? Dread filled me as I struggled to dismiss the thought.  
Techno, sitting in a chair next to me, seemed rather agitated. "You're freaking out," he sighed. "Calm down. I'm sure the baby is fine."  
As if on cue, a medic opened the door, and beckoned me inside. I stood up on shaking legs, and made my way slowly into the operating room. Serena was laying in bed, her stomach bandaged, with a bundle of blankets in her arms. Poking out from the blankets was a tiny head, topped with black hair.  
Serena smiled tiredly. "It's a boy." The tiny child looked up at me with mystical eyes. His irises were like pools of shifting, swirling gold and gray around elliptical pupils. His tiny hand gripped my index finger, and I felt as though I would melt into my boots from the warmth filling me.  
Gate, of course, took his opportunity to ruin the moment with a spiel. "He will age very quickly for awhile," the scientist began. "The growth will slow down, and then stop once he reaches a certain stage."  
"Are there any health concerns?" I questioned.  
"No," Gate replied. "He's exceptionally healthy." A sigh of relief escaped me.  
"Also," Gate started again. "Your cat, midnight. I figured out why he's stayed a kitten all this time. Apparently, he is the result of some illegal genetic testing. His cells are infused with the ability to change him into one other form, and keep him forever young. I don't know what the other form is. So, be careful."  
  
***  
  
In only a period of two months, Hasaki had aged in such a way that he appeared to be nearly eight. His wings had grown in, a silver color, with black membranes. A silver tail had grown in as well. Pointed elf ears poked out from underneath long, thick black hair. Now, he jumped up and down on the living room couch.  
"Hasaki!" Serena scolded. "Now, don't jump on the furniture!" The boy mumbled something, and promptly sat down. He sidled up between the elf and I, leaning his head into my arm.  
"Mommy," he started, "can I go play outside?" he asked.  
"Not right now, we have to take you the HQ for a health screen."  
  
***  
  
I watched as Hasaki hopped up onto the table, and Eric entered. Hasaki looked a bit frightened, and I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He went through all the medical checks rather well. Then came immunization. Eric readied a needle, as a nurse swabbed Hasaki's shoulder with a special numbing disinfectant.  
"Can you feel this?" the nurse asked, gently poking the boy's shoulder with her finger. Hasaki shook his head in response.  
As Eric was ready to give the shot, images raced through my head. Feelings, memories. Pain enhancers. For a split-second, it wasn't Eric holding the needle, but Doppler. I couldn't let him hurt my son...  
I lunged, and tackled Eric. He was much larger than me, but I caught him by surprise, and he lost his balance. The medic nearly fell. I suddenly realized where I was, and what was going on. Ashamed, I exited the room, and ran down the corridor, leaving Hasaki with his mother.  
Turning a corner, I slammed into Gate. He looked a bit surprised, but put his hands on my shoulders and said, "you're just the person I was looking for! I'm beginning to grow curious about your genetic structure, and was wondering if..." I couldn't stand it anymore.  
"NO!" I screamed, everyone in the hallway stopped and stared. "No needles, no experiments, no samples, no 'studies'! Leave me the hell alone!" I ran from the hallway, I ran the thirty miles back to the house. It was dark and rainy by the time I got there. The lights were on inside, but I stayed out on the stone porch in the rain, ashamed.  
I was drenched with rain, shivering, and cold. Huddling up against the wall, I managed to fall asleep.  
  
***  
  
Slowly, I awakened. My vision was blurry. There was a dull ache running through my whole body. It was hard to breathe as well. I was in my own bed, wrapped in blankets.  
Serena stood over me. "What where you thinking?" she scolded. "You were freezing out there!"  
Looking around a bit, I saw Eric standing over me as well. It was hard to miss him, looming over the bed. He had placed a bag of medical equipment on the floor nearby. It was unopened. Apparently, he had just arrived for the house call.  
I jerked slightly as he placed a stethoscope against my bare chest. "His pulse is a bit erratic," Eric stated. "He's having a lot of difficulty breathing as well. He'll have to spend the day on a ventilator, so oxygen and medication can be administered." Eric set up a machine on the nightstand, and plugged it into the wall. There was a long, clear tube attached to the machine.  
Serena watched as Eric slipped the tube down my throat, and I fought the gag reflex. Breathing came easier, and the horrible burning in my chest stopped. I turned away, unable to look at the medic tending to me.  
"Don't worry about what happened yesterday," Eric said. "It was a reflex. You were trying to protect your son in a situation that your instincts labeled as dangerous. It wasn't your fault, and nobody was hurt."  
After a few more checks, Eric took his leave, and Serena followed, due for a check-up.  
Hasaki slipped quietly into the room, and hopped up onto the bed next to me. "Daddy?" he nearly whispered. "Daddy, can you hear me?"  
I nodded slowly in response to his question. The boy flopped down next to me, and curled against my side. "In the medical bay," he started, "at first I wasn't afraid, because you were there. When you left, I got scared. For a moment I thought I was going to get hurt, and you were too afraid to protect me. Then I started thinking straight. I knew you would never abandon me. Something scared you when there was really no danger. Something that happened to you before." I had to give the boy credit for being very smart.  
I closed my eyes, and pulled Hasaki close. I could feel him tracing the scar on my face with his finger. When I opened my eyes again, Zero stood over me. I looked at the clock to find that I had been asleep the whole day. Thankfully, the tube had been removed in my sleep.  
"You big dope," Zero snapped. "What the hell were you thinking!? Running off to wallow in your own self-pity. That's pathetic. It's cost you the safety of your own child!"  
I shot into a sitting position, eyes wide with horror. "What happened!?" I yelled. "Where's Hasaki??"  
Zero sighed, and lowered his head. "Surely you've wondered why the forest is so dangerous? There's a Maverick outpost there. Your cameras showed a red-armored Reploid dashing into the clearing, and running off with Hasaki. He was so fast that your defense systems didn't even have time to activate." Zero handed me a small hologram emitter. It showed the camera footage. Hasaki was playing at the edge of the woods. Then, he was nabbed. The Reploid looked very familiar. Then it hit me.  
"Discord," I hissed, hatred in my voice. The memories rushed back, and a growl came from deep in my throat. He had hurt X so badly. Now he had my son.  
I hopped out of bed, and summoned my armor, as well as the Nightblade. I had not yet used the sword, and was unsure of its powers. Nevertheless, I strapped it across my back, safely in its decorated sheath.  
"What's THAT for?!" Zero exclaimed. You expect to harm Mavericks with a metal blade!? You're out of your mind! You're not supposed to even be out of bed! I'm going with a unit of Hunters to get your kid, anyway."  
I slammed my elbow into Zero's head, and he collapsed onto the floor. It was my fault that Hasaki had been taken, and I had to redeem myself. I took something from Zero's hand, a tracking device. They had traced Discord.  
  
***  
  
Walking through the now-dark forest, I shivered slightly from the chill breeze. Hasaki must be so scared. What if they had hurt him? What if he was..? No, he couldn't be dead. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I had allowed him to die in such a way.  
The outpost came into view between the trees. It was small compared the Maverick base that I had been taken to. I could see a few weapon turrets around the perimeter of the structure. If the turrets targeted me, I would end up a smoking crater. However, I couldn't just blast the cannons, or my intrusion would be obvious to any guards that might happen by.  
I stared hard at the cannons, concentrating. A small puff of smoke issued from each turret, and the 'active' lights went off. Any Mavericks would mistake these signs as a short-out. I knew the truth. I had forced the molecules inside the cannons to rub together until they burst into flame. The internal fire had melted the cannons' circuitry, rendering them harmless.  
Quickly, I dashed across the clearing, unsheathing the Nightblade as I went. Soon, I was standing in front of the main doors. There was a quiet beep, and the large steel doors opened. A guard stepped out, expecting to patrol his daily route. He let out a muffled scream as I seized him, putting a hand over his mouth. He wasn't very big, only about five and a half feet tall. He was kind of skinny, too, with some light armoring. The guard was quaking from head to toe as I leaned close to his ear.  
"Now listen," I whispered harshly. "I'm here for the boy. Do exactly as I say, and I'll consider you a loose end."  
The Maverick nodded quickly, and opened the door for me. I entered the main corridor, keeping my left hand around my hostage's neck enough to keep track of him, but not choke him. He directed me into an infirmary. Unlike the infirmary at Hunter HQ, this place was messy. Some of the rickety beds were stained black with dried circulatory fluids. Most of the equipment was rusty, and looked rather painful. Hasaki was strapped to one of the beds. There was a bruise on his cheek, and he seemed to be scraped up pretty badly.  
He turned his head to look at me. "Dad?" he asked weakly. I approached the bed, sword in one hand, hostage in the other. Discord appeared between me and my son, grinning maliciously. I held my hostage out in front of me.  
"Watch it Discord, you'll hit your little flunky," I hissed.  
Discord let out a harsh laugh. "The next time you pick a shield, don't make it a two-bit worthless guard!" He made a punch that went through the guard's chest, splattering circulatory fluids on me. I dropped the lifeless Reploid to the floor, and raised my sword.  
Discord snickered at my weapon. "A metal sword? What kind of brainless fool are you?" he chuckled.  
I swung the blade, and it sliced deep into his breastplate, deep enough that it cut into his synthetic skin. Black fluids began to trickle out. Discord looked horrified, but backed up towards the hospital bed. He undid Hasaki's straps, and picked the boy up.  
"Daddy!" Hasaki yelled, but Discord gripped the boy's right arm tightly with one hand, silencing him. The child clenched his teeth in pain, and tears welled in his eyes.  
"Let him go!" I demanded.  
"I'll kill him, Shadowfire!" Discord retorted. "Drop your sword, or I'll kill the boy in the most painful way I can think of."  
Horrified, I saw no other choice. I released my weapon, and the sword vanished before it hit the floor.  
Discord twisted his prisoner's right arm, causing a loud snap. Hasaki screamed loudly, and the sound cut coldly into my heart, into my soul.  
"Daddy!" he cried through sobs. "Help me!"  
Rage. "I'll kill you!" I screamed. "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!" I whirled around, and my tail connected with Discord's legs, knocking the Maverick off his feet. He hit the ground hard, and dropped Hasaki.  
Staring into the frightened Maverick's eyes, I whispered with death in my voice. "Now you are helpless. You're such a coward. Torturing a defenseless child. Burn forever in the pits of hell, you sadistic bastard!" I once again summoned the Nightblade. Roaring, I swung the blade in a downward arc, severing the Maverick's head, and leaving a sharp gash in the stone floor. Black fluids spurted out, and began to form a puddle where the neck had been cut. The Reploid's body still twitched feebly. I had to make sure that the remains could never be pieced back together again.  
With shaking hands, I centered the point of the blade over the body's chest. The downward thrust of the blade made the sharp sound of metal cutting metal. Another spurt of fluids signaled that the heart had been pierced. Blackness spread from the chest wound, covering all of the Maverick's body. The corpse soon looked like a solid shadow, lying on the floor. Gradually, the figure became static, and faded, faded out of existence.  
I sheathed the sword and looked to Hasaki. He seemed fragile, laying on the floor, his right arm in an odd position. The boy let out choked sobs, and looked at me with pleading, pain-filled eyes.  
I gently scooped him up, careful not to move his arm. He was cold, and shivering. These Mavericks had beaten up on a defenseless child, MY child. Rage filled my body as alarms began to sound. The air around me sparked, and an orb of pyrokinetic energy encircled the two of us. I walked out into the corridor, carrying my son. Maverick guards fired at me. The projectiles hit my shield, merely causing ripples to move along its glowing surface.  
One guard tried to reach into the shield. His hand glowed red-hot, and crumbled into ash. He screamed as the reaction continued up his arm. The guard was silenced when his neck and torso glowed, and then fell into a pile of blackened ash.  
The rest of the Mavericks continued shooting. Every time a projectile impacted, the shield enlarged, scorching the walls and ceiling. One guard foolishly fired a blast of fully-charged plasma. The energy of the explosion caused the orb of flames to quadruple in size, disintegrating the rest of the Mavericks, and half of the small building.  
I was panting when I let down the shield, which had taken a great deal of energy to maintain.  
Looking at the boy in my arms, hot tears flooded my eyes. I kissed Hasaki lightly on the cheek, and his sobs quieted. At that moment, I would have given anything to lessen his suffering, even my own life.  
As if triggered by my thoughts, a faint, warm glow surrounded my body. Slowly, the glow shifted to Hasaki, and I could feel my energy draining into him. His wounds shifted, and closed. There was a quiet crack as his arm knitted. My eyelids grew heavy, the energy loss making me weak. Everything blackened.  
  
***  
  
I opened my eyes to Signas standing over me. He looked rather unhappy, and scolded, "you were to stay home in bed! I can't imagine how you managed to burn half a Maverick outpost into oblivion in your condition. When Zero's unit arrived, they found you with your energy drained to only seven percent."  
I looked around to find that I was in a maintenance area. Several small wires had been inserted under the skin on my arms and chest, plugged into tiny ports hidden underneath my flesh. The wires were part of a re- charger, which gauged my current energy as fifty-seven percent.  
I looked back up to Signas, and asked, "Is Hasaki okay?"  
My commander looked back to me. "Yes," he stated. "Hasaki, most amazingly, didn't have a scratch on him. He said that you didn't use any weapons to burn the base, and that you... healed him. Is this true?"  
Slowly, I nodded.  
Signas almost smiled, but then his face grew stern once more. "Though we are very relieved to have you back safely, your actions cannot go unpunished. You struck a fellow officer, and deliberately disobeyed the orders of myself and the medical staff. You will be suspended for the duration of the month. Go home and spend some time with your family, you deserve it." Once again, he almost smiled, and then left the room.  
I gave a relieved sigh. The tone in Signas's voice wasn't right for punishing. It was more like he had said, "you have battle fatigue. Rest for awhile."  
I didn't have much time to rest. Gate entered the maintenance room, wheeling a table that had a lot of equipment attached. The scientist pulled the wires from my body, and moved me onto the table he had brought. I started to ask what was going on, but Gate cut me short.  
"Signas wants me to test you," he began, "for pyrokinetic ability. Just lay still, now." He started. I was brought into a laboratory, where several targets were set up. Gate walked over to a computer, and grabbed a long interface cable with a sharp contact rod at the end. I shuddered as he approached me, and tried to hide my apparent fear.  
Gate felt the back of by head with his fingers, until he located a major data port at the base of my skull. He warned, "this may feel a bit strange." There was a sharp, swift pain as the contact rod pierced the skin. Gate pushed the contact rod between the two lobes of my electronic brain, and locked the cable in place. He switched on several computers, which began to display my brain functions.  
Gate pointed to a man-shaped target about thirty feet away, and said, "burn it."  
I concentrated at the target, and Gate watched the monitors as certain brain functions began to spike. I concentrated just a bit harder, and a single point in the target began to glow red. The single point widened into a large circle of red heat. Soon, the whole target was glowing. I stopped my concentration, and the target cooled to a blackened color.  
Gate looked somewhat disappointed. "That was okay, I suppose," he muttered disappointedly. "Come on now, really burn it!"  
I gave an irritated sigh, and looked back at the target. This time I really concentrated, visualized the target in flames. There was a loud boom, and a fiery explosion that sent pieces of plastic and cloth rocketing in all directions. All that was left of were two plastic feet, partly melted, covered with scorched cloth.  
Gate's eyes went wide, and he looked at the computer recordings. "Oh my," he mused. "The readings mostly seem to be centered at the top of your brain stem, and in the very center of your brain, where there's normally a pleural space. I believe you may have an entirely unique section in your brain." He pulled the cable from the back of my head, and then strapped me down with a quickness that was surprising. Gate slipped on a pair of plastic gloves, and tied on a surgical mask. He picked up a blue marker, and then stood over me. I shuddered slightly. He drew a dotted line across my forehead before tossing the marker away, and grabbing a precision laser-scalpel.  
Cold sweat gathered on my body. My heart thudded so hard it seemed as if it would burst from my chest. "What are you doing?" I asked in a shaky voice.  
Gate placed a mask over my nose and mouth, and a slight hissing sound arose. "Calm down a little," the scientist muttered. "Just breathe normally. Everything will be just fine." Gate vanished, and in his place was a Reploid. This Reploid wore a white lab coat, but had black armor, and soulless black eyes, like portals into a void.  
"Like my hologram?" he sneered. "It got me past Hunter security. I am Pard, the brother of Leo, to whom you owe your scars." Leo... an image of that very Maverick flashed in my head, then became clouded. My vision was becoming wavy, and distorted. As much as I wanted to struggle, I couldn't even lift a finger.  
"It's a dilute neurotoxin," Pard explained. "As for Gate, he's on a different floor right now." A sadistic grin crept across Pard's face. "Before he died, Leo said that the lady Mavericks at the base had a wonderful time with you. They said that half the fun was listening to you whimper like a beaten dog while they ripped your clothing off." A shudder ran through my entire body, and tears gathered at my eyes. Horrible memories flooded my mind.  
"How did it feel?" Pard continued cruelly. "Having something taken from you that could never be regained? Something you intended to give only to your heart's desire, someone precious to you?" Heat rushed into my face, and sobs caught in my throat. The memories came on strong.  
"I'll let everyone know at your funeral," Pard began, "that you were nothing more than a toy for a week. Your final humiliation."  
There was a loud explosion. Pard jerked slightly, and teleported away just as X entered the door through the hole that he had created. Closing my eyes, I heard him gasp, and then running footsteps coming towards me. The mask was torn from my face, and the straps undone.  
Slowly, I opened my eyes. X gave a great sigh of relief, and wrapped his arms around me. He felt warm, and safe. I leaned into him, curling up. Tears came streaming down my face, and X held me tighter, a father trying to comfort his frightened child.  
"It's okay," he whispered soothingly, rocking my back and forth slightly. "He's gone now, it's okay." X's voice grew dark as he said, "and he won't ever hurt you again..." I could tell that he was plotting the Maverick's demise.  
  
***  
  
Several weeks had passed rather uneventfully. I was back on duty again. Zero and I were walking on the outskirts of some ruins, patrolling for possible Maverick activity. Everything was silent as we walked between the metal skeletons of burned-out structures. A sound came suddenly through the chill air. Crying. What a strange sound for a place like this.  
We followed the sound back to it's source, a Reploid boy, only a child, sitting on a cracked stone bench.  
The boy looked at us with big, green eyes. "Help me..." he cried. I walked forward carefully. The poor boy was out here by himself, and probably very frightened.  
Zero drew his saber, and prepared to attack.  
The boy stood up, and grinned wickedly, he looked at Zero. "Listen to me, I am Itami. You're burning," the boy began. "Burning on the inside, like acid in your veins! You feel agony!"  
Zero stopped in his tracks, and shuddered violently. He dropped his saber, and gave a cry of pain despite the fact that he hadn't been touched.  
"What did you do to Zero!?" I growled.  
The boy turned to me, and said, "knives, cutting into your body." As he said this, I felt it. Stabbing, slicing into my flesh. Now I understood... he forced our bodies to feel what he said. A psychokinetic Reploid. "There is a hand around your heart," the boy continued, and I felt it, something gripping my heart. "It begins to squeeze." Pressure, immense pressure. "Tighter." My circulatory fluids pounded in my head as my heart struggled feebly to do its job.  
Out of the corner of my eyes I could see something approaching. A fluffy black kitten, Midnight. He had followed me.  
Itami turned to look at the new arrival, leaving Zero and I to writhe on the ground. "How cute!" the boy mused. The little kitten hissed, and its form began to grow. Soon enough, he wasn't a little kitten, but a large, black panther.  
The Reploid boy looked amused. "Oh, Shadowfire," he muttered. "It seems you came across another project of my creator, Pard. A morph-capable feline, he looks so harmless at first." Midnight roared angrily, but dared not approach the boy.  
"Now, dear Maverick Hunters," Itami started once more, "your motor systems are shutting down." Zero stopped moving. I tried to stir, but couldn't so much as lift a finger. My motor systems weren't working. "You are dying." At this, Zero gave a struggled gasp, and his body went into a series of involuntary spasms.  
Everything just became slow, like a dream. Nothing seemed real. My vision narrowed into a hazy tunnel.  
I knew what would happen if I couldn't resist, my memory would be deleted. I couldn't let that happen...  
I thought of things and people I had seen, places I had been. Memories raced behind my eyes. X and Zero standing over me as I was just activated. Flying for the first time. Discovering what I was. Becoming scarred. Losing my precious Luna. Meeting Serena... and becoming a father. That image stuck in my head. A picture of a family. A Reploid husband, an Elven wife, and a handsome little boy with his mom's pointy ears. The elf had beautiful misty gray eyes, and a kind aura around her slender, agile form. That cute little boy had an adorable smile, and the mischievous spark in his eyes that all little boys have. The husband had the look of a man who had been through a lot, and finally found happiness in the love that his family shared.  
  
***  
  
A jolt fired through my body, shocking me into consciousness. I arched my back, screaming. Hands held me down against something cold and hard. My eyes were open, but I couldn't see a thing, just static.  
I could hear Eric yelling. "Hold him down, so I can inject the stabilizers!" Someone put a hand against my chest, and forced my back against the table. My muscles kept cramping uncontrollably, overloaded with confused brain signals, couldn't breathe.  
A gasp escaped me when I felt the needle slide into my arm. The cramping stopped, I could breathe. My vision returned so suddenly that it made me dizzy.  
I was surrounded by medics, wires, computers, and strange machines.  
"Just calm down," Eric started. "You've been reactivated. We found you and Zero just before your memories were permanently deleted. That creation of Pard's was slashed to bits... like he was mauled by a big cat.." I could make no reply, my body shuddered violently. "You're in shock right now. That's normal. You're very tense, ease your breathing." I forced my panicked breathing to slow down. "Relax your back and shoulders." I took a deep, shaky breath, and did the best I could to relax my trembling body.  
"Your brother is fine," Eric continued. "He suffered no ill effects from your... experience, since we acted quickly enough. Now, I'm going to inject you with a drug that will raise your body temperature, it's only at about eighty right now. Please, hold still, just don't look, if it helps."  
I couldn't watch, shutting my eyes tightly. My teeth clenched together as the chemical was injected. It took immediate effect. Opening my eyes, I watched as my skin went from a deathly pale back to its healthy color.  
Eric smiled slightly, and said, "there, that's better, see? You have to stay here for the night under observation. Reactivating Reploids is a tricky business. You have visitors, so I'll leave you alone now." The medic turned, and exited the room.  
The door opened once again, revealing Zero.  
He growled lowly as he said, "we still haven't found Pard." Zero heaved a sigh, and his expression softened a bit. "You okay? They were saying that there were some complications reactivating you."  
I nodded slightly. "Yeah. I'm a little sore and weak, but I'm okay. You?"  
"I've been up and running again for five hours," the Crimson Wonder replied. "My reactivation went without a hitch."  
"Now Zero," I started in a scolding tone, "you're just trying to make me jealous. Didn't daddy teach you any manners?" I realized my mistake as Zero's eyes grew cold, and his face expressionless.  
"I have no father," he hissed, voice seething with hatred.  
I stood up as he turned to leave, filled with shame. "Zero," I said quietly. "I'm sorry... I... I didn't mean-"  
"I know," Zero broke in. "You're too considerate to say something like that on purpose. Anyway, your wife is waiting outside, and I know you two will want some... privacy." He winked and gave a sinister grin as he said this, before leaving. What a pervert.  
The door swung back open, and Serena stepped in. She crossed her arms as she looked at me.  
"Shadowfire X Light," she began in a motherly tone, "how dare you worry me like that! Going out and getting yourself killed!" I could see the tears welling in her eyes. I stood up with shaky legs, and but my arms around her.  
"I'll be more careful," I whispered, "I promise."  
  
EPILOGUE  
  
The hole that Luna's death left did not disappear. How can you forget someone you loved? Serena provided something to patch the hole shut with. My son made that inner wound all the less painful. I don't feel alone anymore.  
However, my personal life, of course, meant nothing to the Mavericks. As a Hunter, my next mission was always just around the corner... 


End file.
